Ethics of Mathematical Modeling in Public Health: The Case of Medical Male Circumcision for HIV Prevention in Africa.

IF 1.4 3区哲学 Q2 ETHICS

Public Health Ethics Pub Date : 2024-10-14 eCollection Date: 2024-11-01 DOI:10.1093/phe/phae009

Stuart Rennie, Sara Levintow, Adam Gilbertson, Winnie Kavulani Luseno

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Abstract

Mathematical modelling has played an increasingly prominent role in public health responses, for example by offering estimates of how infectious disease incidence over time may be affected by the adoption of certain policies and interventions. In this paper, we call for greater research and reflection into the ethics of mathematical modeling in public health. First, we present some promising ways of framing the ethics of mathematical modeling that have been offered in the very few publications specifically devoted to this subject. Second, to draw out some issues that have not yet been sufficiently considered, we bring in the case of mathematical modeling in voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) initiatives for HIV prevention in Africa. We argue that greater attention should be paid to ethical considerations in mathematical modeling, particularly as its use is becoming more widespread and its potential impacts are becoming greater in the 'big data' era, as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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公共卫生中的数学建模伦理：以非洲男性包皮环切术预防艾滋病毒为例。

数学模型在公共卫生对策中发挥着日益突出的作用，例如，它可以估计采取某些政策和干预措施对传染病发病率的长期影响。在本文中，我们呼吁对公共卫生数学建模的伦理进行更多的研究和反思。首先，我们提出了一些有希望的方法来构建数学建模的伦理，这些方法已经在极少数专门致力于这一主题的出版物中提供。第二，为了找出一些尚未得到充分考虑的问题，我们引入了非洲预防艾滋病毒的自愿医疗男性包皮环切（VMMC）倡议中的数学模型。我们认为，应更多地关注数学建模中的道德因素，特别是在新冠肺炎大流行期间，数学建模的使用越来越广泛，其潜在影响在“大数据”时代变得越来越大。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Public Health Ethics PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH-MEDICAL ETHICS

CiteScore

3.10

自引率

9.50%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： Public Health Ethics invites submission of papers on any topic that is relevant for ethical reflection about public health practice and theory. Our aim is to publish readable papers of high scientific quality which will stimulate debate and discussion about ethical issues relating to all aspects of public health. Our main criteria for grading manuscripts include originality and potential impact, quality of philosophical analysis, and relevance to debates in public health ethics and practice. Manuscripts are accepted for publication on the understanding that they have been submitted solely to Public Health Ethics and that they have not been previously published either in whole or in part. Authors may not submit papers that are under consideration for publication elsewhere, and, if an author decides to offer a submitted paper to another journal, the paper must be withdrawn from Public Health Ethics before the new submission is made. The editorial office will make every effort to deal with submissions to the journal as quickly as possible. All papers will be acknowledged on receipt by email and will receive preliminary editorial review within 2 weeks. Papers of high interest will be sent out for external review. Authors will normally be notified of acceptance, rejection, or need for revision within 8 weeks of submission. Contributors will be provided with electronic access to their proof via email; corrections should be returned within 48 hours.